Leibson, Paul J.

Abstract NK cells can mediate either FcR-dependent cytotoxicity against antibody-coated target cells or direct cytotoxicity against a variety of tumor cells. We used homogeneous, cloned populations of CD16+/CD3- human NK cells to characterize and compare the transmembrane signaling mechanisms used during these alternative forms of cytotoxicity. Cross-linkage of NK cell FcR with anti-FcR (anti-CD16) mAb or direct binding to NK-sensitive tumor targets resulted in a rapid release of inositol phosphates and increases in [Ca2+]i. The receptor-dependent [Ca2+]i increase (as monitored in indo-1 loaded NK cells by flow cytometry) consisted of an initial release of calcium from intracellular stores, followed by a sustained influx of calcium across the plasma membrane. To assess the potential regulatory feedback role of protein kinase C (PKC) activation in these proximal signaling events, NK cells were pretreated with either PKC-activating phorbol esters, nonactivating phorbol ester homologs, or synthetic diacylglycerols. Brief pretreatment with activating phorbol esters rapidly inhibited, in a concentration-dependent manner, both phosphoinositide hydrolysis and increases in [Ca2+]i induced by FcR ligation, whereas pretreatment with an inactive phorbol ester had no effect. This acute inhibitory effect was not explained by FcR down-regulation, which occurred with more prolonged exposure to phorbol esters. In contrast, the phosphoinositide turnover and [Ca2+]i increase in NK cells stimulated with NK-sensitive tumor targets were not affected by prior exposure to PKC-activating phorbol esters. This differential regulatory effect of phorbol ester on proximal signaling was paralleled by a corresponding effect on cytotoxicity, i.e., phorbol ester-induced activation of PKC inhibited FcR-dependent cytotoxicity, but did not alter direct cytotoxicity against NK-sensitive tumor cells. These results indicate that PKC activation can differentially regulate alternative forms of NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity by rapidly and specifically desensitizing the FcR.

Abstract Tumor cell lysis can be enhanced significantly in vitro when heteroconjugate (HC) antibodies (anti-CD3 x anti-tumor mAb) are used to specifically direct lymphocyte effector cells to the tumor cell target. In order to effectively utilize HC antibodies in an immunotherapy protocol, methods must be identified for the optimum expansion, activation, and retargeting of lymphocyte-effector populations from cancer patients. In this study, we have compared the proliferative responses of different normal and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patient lymphocyte preparations (PBL, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes) stimulated in vitro for periods up to 12 days with a variety of growth factor combinations (anti-CD3, rIL-2, rIL-4). These activated lymphocyte preparations were then tested in vitro for their ability to kill RCC tumor cells and tumor cell lines in the presence of HC preparations (anti-CD3 mAb covalently linked to mAb reactive to different RCC tumor-associated Ag). RCC patient PBL cultured with anti-CD3 plus rIL-2 for 12 days resulted in a 3- to 160-fold expansion of effector cells. These cells, as well as tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, when retargeted with appropriate HC antibodies were capable of mediating high levels of killing of autologous tumor cells. No constitutive autologous anti-tumor cell response was detected in the absence of added HC antibodies. Of the five anti-RCC mAb tested (A6H, K29, K20, UR07, and URO 3), HC containing URO 3 x anti-CD3 and K20 x anti-CD3 elicited the highest level of tumor cell lysis by the activated lymphocyte effector cells. Together these results demonstrate that HC antibodies may be a useful imunotherapeutic reagent for directing the killing of RCC tumor cells by autologous lymphocytes.

Abstract Although NK cells can kill both malignant cells and virus-infected cells without prior sensitization, it has remained unclear whether the mechanism by which an NK cell is activated in the presence of a tumor cell is similar to that induced by the presence of a virus-infected cell. In our experimental system using homogeneous populations of cloned human CD16+ NK cells, we found that HSV-infected target cells do not induce in the NK cells the same pharmacologically-active second messengers elicited by NK-sensitive tumor cells. Although phosphoinositide turnover and calcium signaling were generated in NK cells exposed to NK-sensitive tumor cells, the recognition of HSV-infected cells by NK cells did not result in similar transmembrane signaling. Furthermore, depending on the cell type infected by HSV, alternative mechanisms of cytotoxicity were employed. HSV-infected foreskin fibroblasts were rapidly and selectively killed by cloned NK cells without a requirement for IFN or accessory cells. In contrast to this direct cytotoxicity against HSV-infected foreskin fibroblasts, NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity against an HSV-infected fibrosarcoma cell line (1591) was dependent on IFN-alpha production by accessory cells. Importantly, in both systems of cytotoxicity, IFN-alpha activation of NK cells resulted in augmented killing against both infected and uninfected targets. These results suggest that NK cell activation induced during antiviral immunity is distinct from activation elicited during an antitumor response. These differences include the utilization of alternative forms of signal transduction and alternative mechanisms of cytotoxicity.

Abstract NK cells are a subpopulation of lymphocytes that kill virally infected cells and tumor cells without previous sensitization. Although exposure to distinct cytokines, including IL-2 and IL-12, can enhance these cytotoxic responses, the mechanism of this lymphokine-augmented killing remains unclear. Inasmuch as the cytotoxic event is a multistep process, there are many potential targets for lymphokine regulation. We focused on whether selected lymphokines directly modulate the intracellular signaling pathways critical for NK cell secretory function. In our experimental model, homogeneous, cloned human CD16+/CD3- NK cells were pretreated with either IL-2 or IL-12 and then stimulated with direct pharmacologic activators of the secretory response (e.g., PMA and ionomycin for intact cells or GTP gamma S for streptolysin-O permeabilized cells). Previous exposure of the cells to IL-2 or IL-12 enhanced the stimulus-induced release of granule-derived proteins (hexosaminidase and serine proteases) in a cytokine concentration- and time-dependent fashion. Furthermore, the cytokines increased the efficacies without changing the potencies of the secretagogues used in these studies. These results suggest that IL-2 and IL-12 augment NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity by increasing the maximal level of granule exocytosis evoked by Ca2+ and/or G protein-dependent intracellular signaling pathways.

Abstract Impaired cell-mediated immunity predisposes individuals to severe systemic HSV infections. A potential approach for enhancing antiviral immunity is to alter the specificity of T cells and NK cells so that they become cytotoxic against HSV. We describe here the use of heteroconjugate antibodies to augment the killing of HSV-infected cells. Two different types of heteroconjugate antibodies were used: 1) CD3-specific mAb, covalently linked to HSV-specific mAb (e.g., anti-CD3 x anti-HSV-1 glycoprotein C); 2) FcR-specific mAb linked to HSV-specific mAb (e.g., anti-Fc gamma RIII x anti-HSV-1 glycoprotein D). Whereas freshly isolated, PBL were not cytotoxic against HSV-infected target cells in a 5-h 51Cr-release assay, co-incubation with either heteroconjugate resulted in significant cytotoxicity. In vitro activated PBL (anti-CD3 + IL-2) also became more potent killers of HSV-infected cells in the presence of each heteroconjugate. The specificity of anti-CD3 x anti-HSV-1 and anti-Fc gamma RIII x anti-HSV-1 gD for enhancing T cell and NK cell immunity, respectively, was confirmed by using cloned, homogeneous human T cell and NK cell lines as effectors. Kinetic analysis demonstrated that as soon as the infected cells began to express HSV glycoproteins on their surface they became susceptible to this enhanced killing. Prolonged culture of HSV-infected cells with heteroconjugate antibodies and effector cells also decreased the amount of viral replication that occurred, as measured in a plaque inhibition assay. These results suggest that heteroconjugate antibodies are potent immunotherapeutic tools that enhance anti-HSV immunity.

Abstract The T cell Ag (Ti-CD3) receptor complex has been proposed to regulate phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC) through a cholera toxin (CTX)-sensitive guanine nucleotide-binding (G) protein. In this study, we have used CTX and staurosporine as pharmacologic probes to further define the linkage between the Ti-CD3 receptor and PLC activity in the human T cell line, Jurkat. CTX pretreatment inhibited Ti-CD3 receptor-dependent phosphoinositide hydrolysis and, concomitantly, protein tyrosine kinase activation in intact cells. Studies with electrically permeabilized Jurkat cells revealed that guanosine 5’-(3-O-thio) triphosphate stimulated an increase in PLC activity, that unlike the response to Ti-CD3 receptor ligation, was not affected by cellular pretreatment with CTX. In contrast, the phosphotyrosine phosphatase inhibitors, orthovanadate and molybdate anions, stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis in permeabilized cells through a CTX-sensitive mechanism of PLC activation. Additional studies with a known PTK inhibitor, staurosporine, supported the results obtained with CTX. Staurosporine pretreatment inhibited the phosphoinositide hydrolysis induced by anti-CD3 antibodies or phosphotyrosine phosphatase inhibitors, but failed to alter the G protein-dependent PLC activation response to guanosine 5’-(3-O-thio) triphosphate. The results of this study indicate that PLC activity(s) in Jurkat cells are regulated by both G protein- and PTK-dependent coupling mechanisms. However, the differential inhibitory effects of CTX and staurosporine on these PLC activation pathways strongly suggest that a protein tyrosine kinase activation event, rather than a G protein, mediates the functional linkage between the Ti-CD3 receptor and PLC activity in Jurkat cells.

Abstract Protein tyrosine kinases play fundamental roles in the transduction of signals that regulate cell growth, differentiation, and functional responses to a diversity of external stimuli. It is therefore likely that understanding protein tyrosine kinase activity in NK cells will be crucial in further defining the intracellular regulation of their unique and specialized functions. We investigated the role of protein tyrosine phosphorylation in receptor-mediated signal transduction using stimuli known to play major roles in regulating NK cell activation. Immunoblot analyses with antiphosphotyrosine antibodies demonstrated that IL-2, a potent stimulus for NK cell proliferation and an agent that enhances NK cytotoxic function, induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of at least eight proteins in clonal CD16+/CD3-human NK cells. In contrast, IL-4, which modulates NK cell function without inducing proliferation, had no apparent effect on protein tyrosine phosphorylation. Because protein kinase C (PKC) activation plays a prominent, yet distinct role in NK cell-mediated cytolytic reactions, we next investigated whether PKC activation affects NK cell protein tyrosine phosphorylation. Surprisingly, PKC-activating agents, including the phorbol esters 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate and 4 beta-phorbol 12, 13-didecanoate, as well as the synthetic diacylglycerol,1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol, also induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of a distinct set of proteins. The 4 beta-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate homolog, 4 alpha-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate, which does not activate PKC, also failed to induce protein tyrosine phosphorylation. Further, the PKC inhibitor, 1-O-hexadecyl-2-O-methylglycerol blocked tyrosine phosphorylation induced by 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol. In subsequent studies, both CD8+ and CD8- NK clones were found to express the src-family tyrosine kinase, p56lck, which was detected by immunoblot analysis with anti-p56lck antiserum. In both types of clonal NK cell lines, IL-2 and 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol appeared to stimulate the differential phosphorylation of p56lck as evidenced by the appearance of higher molecular mass isoforms on SDS-polyacrylamide gels. Thus, our results identify and characterize a potential role for tyrosine phosphorylation and for the lymphocyte-specific tyrosine kinase p56lck in the signaling events that regulate NK cell activation.

Abstract NK cells mediate both direct cytotoxicity against a variety of tumor cells and indirect (FcR-dependent) cytotoxicity against antibody-coated targets. When cloned human NK cells (CD16+/CD3-) were exposed to NK-sensitive targets for 30 min, the level of inositol phosphates rose two to five times above background. The rise in inositol phosphates induced by NK-sensitive targets was paralleled by an increase in intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i). A panel of tumor cells that were resistant to NK cell lysis did not stimulate significant levels of inositol phosphate production and did not induce an elevation of intracellular free calcium. Ligation of the FcR (CD16) with the mAb 3G8 also triggered phosphoinositide turnover. Kinetic experiments demonstrated that stimulation by either susceptible target cells or by FcR ligation led to rapid (less than 1 min) generation of the Ca2+-mobilizing second messenger, inositol trisphosphate, with slower accumulation of inositol bisphosphate and inositol monophosphate. Previous studies have demonstrated that activation of the cAMP-dependent second messenger pathway strongly inhibits NK cell-mediated cytotoxic functions. Treatment of NK effector cells with forskolin to elevate intracellular cAMP levels resulted in a concentration-dependent inhibition of phosphoinositide hydrolysis induced by both NK-sensitive targets and 3G8-mediated FcR ligation. These results suggest that phosphoinositide turnover represents a critical early event in the human NK cell cytolytic process. Moreover, the potent inhibitory effect of cAMP on NK cell cytotoxicity may be explained by the uncoupling of NK receptors from phospholipase C-mediated phosphoinositide hydrolysis.

Abstract NK cells mediate their cytotoxicity against tumor cells through abroad array of cytotoxic and cytostatic proteins. We investigated whether specific proteins could also be identified that contributed to NK cell-mediated antiviral immunity. Human CD16+/CD3- NK cells were obtained by using FACS and subsequently cloned by using limiting dilution. These NK cell lines, which were cytotoxic against NK-sensitive tumor targets and virally infected cells, also generated supernatants that selectively killed vesicular stomatitis virus-infected cells while sparing noninfected cells. This soluble antiviral activity was completely neutralized by antibodies specific for TNF and lymphotoxin. Purified human rTNF also duplicated this specific cytotoxicity against vesicular stomatitis virus-infected cells, as well as against CMV-, Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus-, and HSV-infected cells. The degree of cytotoxicity varied for the different viruses and depended on the cell type infected. These results suggest that NK cells can mediate selective and direct cytotoxicity against virally infected cells by the secretion of TNF and lymphotoxin.